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Drink plenty of water and eat better. Moderate exercise (walking is fine, you don't want to wreck your cartilage and ligaments in an attempt to look younger, its counterproductive) and fresh air are both helpful.
Facial products with collagen don't do anything as they don't penetrate the second layer of the epidermis to place it where it could help. However, collagen peptides in smoothies, and collagen supplements are helpful and are also good for your bones, joints, hair and nails.
Exfoliate - everywhere.
Manuka honey is good for your skin - naturally antimicrobial, antibacterial and antifungal among other benefits. Get a good moisturizer that has manuka honey in it, and can be used on your face and body.
Sunscreen SPF 50, and especially if you are using glycolic acid (AM) and retinol (PM).
There is also weighing any benefit to bioidentical hormone therapy, but you really, REALLY need to discuss that with your doctor.
I started wearing makeup as a teen because I felt it made me look older; I don't wear it for a few decades now for the same reason.
Teeth! Get crowns or veneers if yours are shot.
You can rock gray hair if you have a good youthful haircut - short and sassy. Coloring it will take twenty years off IF you get a natural color. No pink or purple or anything that screams, "Nobody has hair THAT color!!".
Don't worry about dressing 'age appropriate', dress to what is truly complimentary to your body type. Sometimes showing less is more sexy than baring almost all.
I am in my 50's and I think I look much older than my years, not sure why. Any tips would be appreciated. I am more interested in beauty tips rather than fashion tips, although both are helpful.
I am medium build, brunette, growing out a bad, short haircut, I am kind of pale. I don't wear much makeup because my eyes are super sensitve, but I think I need to wear more. I should probably lose maybe 5 pounds.
I feel your pain.. I'm in my 50's and I just try to adapt good habits. I want to look good for my age, these are a few things I have adapted over the years and I feel like they help:
Sunscreen daily
Exfoliate face a few times a week
Water, and then more water!
Teeth whitening
Pedicure 1x month
Moisturize whole body each morning
Walk/exercise
Cut down on the sugar/alcohol
Find a flattering hair color/cut and wear clothes that compliment your figure
Find a lipstick that works for your skin tone, or a least a lip gloss
I just know I feel better adding these to my routine..
Exactly! I still color my hair, and I go a lighter shade than the reddish brown I had most of my life, because it's half brown and half gray. Mousy and tweedy. When it goes all or mostly gray, I probably will just let it be gray. I'm a bit jealous of my older sister, who was blonde and then went pure white.
There's this woman I see in my local supermarket who looks like something out of a horror movie. She must be in her 70s, and her hair is dyed jet black. She wears very heavy makeup with bright colored eye shadow and liner and thick black eyelashes, blush on her cheeks, and bright lipstick, all of which just emphasizes the lines on her face by the contrast. It is obvious that she is hanging on to a look that may have worked for her 40 or 50 years ago.
Yes, unfortunately a lot of people get stuck in that rut from when they were younger. The hairstyle and make-up that they started wearing in their late teens and early 20's is what they wear for life. My stepmother was like this.
Exactly! I still color my hair, and I go a lighter shade than the reddish brown I had most of my life, because it's half brown and half gray. Mousy and tweedy. When it goes all or mostly gray, I probably will just let it be gray. I'm a bit jealous of my older sister, who was blonde and then went pure white.
There's this woman I see in my local supermarket who looks like something out of a horror movie. She must be in her 70s, and her hair is dyed jet black. She wears very heavy makeup with bright colored eye shadow and liner and thick black eyelashes, blush on her cheeks, and bright lipstick, all of which just emphasizes the lines on her face by the contrast. It is obvious that she is hanging on to a look that may have worked for her 40 or 50 years ago.
I see this look on some celebrities, and occasionally around where I live. I agree, it's almost horror or clown-like; and some once-beautiful women now actually look scary. I totally agree with everyone who says not to try to look younger, just look and be the best you can be at whatever age you are. We all age in different ways, for me it's not so much a wrinkled face, like another poster here I have "aged arms." They look very old, despite having great muscle tone- the skin covering has lost it's collagen. I live in Florida, so covering up all the time is just not an option. it's really a shame that in this country we (women) are made to feel "less than" if we show our age. I feel there is beauty at every age, especially if we make the most of what we have. The big thing is getting and staying healthy, at a good weight, keep some muscle tone, either go natural with the hair if it flatters or stay easy with the hair color. One thing I find that looks sad are the older women who either dye their hair flaming red or jet black - both colors are harsh and look very fake over gray hair - just not a good look. If one is going to color, highlight and lowlights look best. I let mine grow out natural, and in the sun mine looks silver with some brown and blonde accents. My husband tells me all the time how much he loves this look over the dyed brown I used to have.
IMO, having extra pounds always makes a woman look older even if the person isn't extremely overweight. Having extra pounds around the middle or having heavy, saggy upper arms looks aging. I remember when my elderly mother told me that when I reached menopause, "you are going to notice your body gaining weight and getting more matronly". She was right. I just didn't like the poochy stomach...so I did something about it.
Also, I agree that longer hair is more youthful. The majority of older ladies have short hair styles and wear hoop earrings. If you look like them, well, yes, you're going to be lumped in the same category--old. Everyone thinks short hair is youthful. No, it's not. Jamie Lee Curtis is an exception. Very few women can carry off her hairstyle.
I don't agree that moisturizer is important. Not everyone can use moisturizers. I personally can't use them. Even as old as I am, I still struggle with breakouts.
Makeup--maybe. But if you already look young, I don't think makeup is that important.
Clothing--one definitely needs to wear younger styles in order to look younger but we need to stick with age appropriate ones. I don't wear anything too bare nor anything high schoolish. That means no round-toe flat shoes, no flowered canvas sneakers, no T-shirts with printed sayings on them, no knee length cargo pants with those ties hanging down, no ankle bracelets, no cold-shouldered tops (people are going to disagree with me on this one but older women wearing them looks obvious that you are trying too hard), no ultra skinny pants. Also aging are 3/4-sleeve tops and blouses (out of style), waist length jackets with 3/4 sleeves, anything with big flowered prints, huge billowy tops that cover the big wide butt, baggy pants, leather tie shoes, or anything pastel. I think pastel pink or blue sweater tops with white pants is the most matronly look out there.
I feel your pain.. I'm in my 50's and I just try to adapt good habits. I want to look good for my age, these are a few things I have adapted over the years and I feel like they help:
Sunscreen daily
Exfoliate face a few times a week
Water, and then more water!
Teeth whitening
Pedicure 1x month
Moisturize whole body each morning
Walk/exercise
Cut down on the sugar/alcohol
Find a flattering hair color/cut and wear clothes that compliment your figure
Find a lipstick that works for your skin tone, or a least a lip gloss
I just know I feel better adding these to my routine..
And after 50 stay away from the teen clothes in the junior section unless you are a size 0 and then still choose wisely. Wear nice looking clothes appropriate for your age. Avoid the short short short shorts and midriff or bralette tops. No words on your butt, either.
Also since we droop with aging make sure you don't let "the girls" hang to the waist. Wear a good bra. Nothing makes a woman look older than boobs that go to the waist.
And for heaven sakes, it is OK to show your arms and legs in hot weather. We aren't competing with 19 year olds. Be comfortable. When I gained weight at 40, I quit wearing sleeveless until we had a hurricane and no electricity for 8 days. My oldest son looked at me 1 day and said" Mom, you look so much younger wearing sleeveless than those awful things down to your elbow" So I listened and now have tanks and sleeveless in the closet, too. Because I am not sweating all the time in the heavy clothes, I became more active again and lost some-still not all of the weight I gained back then. Still not in a bikini, but have seen some 50+ that rock them on the beach.
The other thing that ages a person can be the hairdo. You don't need to get what I call the old lady cut(real short tapered or layered in the back like so many older women wear), but get a good cut and make sure to keep it clean and healthy looking no matter whether you change the color or go natural.
IMO, having extra pounds always makes a woman look older even if the person isn't extremely overweight. Having extra pounds around the middle or having heavy, saggy upper arms looks aging. I remember when my elderly mother told me that when I reached menopause, "you are going to notice your body gaining weight and getting more matronly". She was right. I just didn't like the poochy stomach...so I did something about it.
Also, I agree that longer hair is more youthful. The majority of older ladies have short hair styles and wear hoop earrings. If you look like them, well, yes, you're going to be lumped in the same category--old. Everyone thinks short hair is youthful. No, it's not. Jamie Lee Curtis is an exception. Very few women can carry off her hairstyle.
I don't agree that moisturizer is important. Not everyone can use moisturizers. I personally can't use them. Even as old as I am, I still struggle with breakouts.
Makeup--maybe. But if you already look young, I don't think makeup is that important.
Clothing--one definitely needs to wear younger styles in order to look younger but we need to stick with age appropriate ones. I don't wear anything too bare nor anything high schoolish. That means no round-toe flat shoes, no flowered canvas sneakers, no T-shirts with printed sayings on them, no knee length cargo pants with those ties hanging down, no ankle bracelets, no cold-shouldered tops (people are going to disagree with me on this one but older women wearing them looks obvious that you are trying too hard), no ultra skinny pants. Also aging are 3/4-sleeve tops and blouses (out of style), waist length jackets with 3/4 sleeves, anything with big flowered prints, huge billowy tops that cover the big wide butt, baggy pants, leather tie shoes, or anything pastel. I think pastel pink or blue sweater tops with white pants is the most matronly look out there.
Well, I seem to be one old lady of 70 who still works part time and the kids(anyone under40) are always shocked that I am hitting 70 this year. They assume I am late 50s(of course they are just being sweet to me) .
I seem to fail at all your points but I am a Floridian where things are more casual.
1. Nothing too bare. I wear shorts, sleeveless tops and tanks all the time. Bermudas make me look old and dumpy so I buy shorts that hit mid thigh. I do only wear tankinis or 1 piece suits at the beach now.
2. Long hair makes you look younger.....I disagree. Some women look older with long hair. They tend to look like they are trying to look younger. Some women can rock it though. Most look better if their hair is no longer than shoulder length and have a good cut. I agree the last thing you want is the typical old lady haircut.
3. No round toed flat shoes. No flowered canvas sneekers. My favorite dress up and work shoes for Florida have rounded toes and are flats since they are more comfortable . I love vans and sketchers shoesetc that have patterns. For going out at night I wear wedge sandles-either leather or cloth flowered ones. I would love to have some saddle shoes to wear with jeans in the winter months.
4. No t-shirts with words on them. I would die without my t-shirts. I avoid the flowered and old lady looking ones. v-neck plain colors are my staple for everyday wear. I still wear t-shirts from my college and some with cute phrases about wine or coffee etc. too.
5. No knee length cargo pants. I am short and refuse to wear long, hot pants in 90 degree temps so I do wear capris that hit right at the knee or just below....Yep they have the ties on some of them too. And they have to have pockets-love the cargo pockets too. Where do you put your keys, credit cars/money and your cell phone so you don't have to lug a big purse to the theme parks etc.?
6. No cold shoulder tops.....no problem there. I do not like that style on anyone. Just go sleeveless or wear short sleeves. Make up your minds.
7. Ankle bracelets-not my thing but with skinny ankles and a tan, they can look cute. If you have cankles at any age avoid them and all the cut out sandles and heels where the fat pokes out.
8. 3/4 length sleeves-awful unless they are long sleeves and you roll them to keep dry or it gets really hot.
9. Big flowery prints- make you look old.
10. Skinny jeans. Hard to find pants that aren't skinny, but even someone with a little weight can look good in them if they wear a tunic top(tops that cover butt and stomach) over them. I have seen some plus size rock jeggings wearing a dress down to the knees over them or a maxi dress with a slit. You just have to be cool with them. I thought I would hate them but next to straight leg and boot cut they look good. Comfortable, too.
11. The other things I don't really notice. Not a fan of pastels for me because I tend to fade in pastels so go for the reds, purples, black and greens to go with my coloring and platinum(winter blonde) hair.
12. The important thing is-everyone needs to feel comfortable in themselves. How boring would the world be if we all had to wear the exact same thing every day. As a wise store owner once told me when I was ordering merchandise for our family store. " Be sure to order some things you think are totally ugly. What you think is ugly may be beautiful to someone else."
OOPs I forgot to address the "fat issue" . Being overweight does not always make a person look older. It only does that if the person does not take care of themselves and maybe dress in men's clothes or those to the floor vests thinking they are hiding the fat. I see beautiful heavier women all the time and the one thing they rarely seem to have are the wrinkles that many women get when they stay at 100 pounds when soaking wet. They just need to dress to their liking and avoid the prints the tiny clothes designers push at them.
I'm 51. Looking at women of my age, I think the most important thing for looking younger is to make sure you have good parents genetically. ha ha Seriously, though, I don't think there's much you can do to make your body look younger. Better, of course. But no use of Aveeno is going to make me look like Jennifer Aniston, no matter what she tells us in her commercials. She's stunning.
I do get people surprised that I'm my age quite a bit. I'm short, overweight, and don't wear makeup. I dye my hair at home, and that's about my beauty routine. I don't dress trendy, but I do avoid dated. I'll never have short hair, it would look wrong on me, so I keep it shoulder/collar bone length. But generally, I think it's mostly a feature of my genes that I get the "you're *how* old??" comments.
If you wear eyeglasses....please keep them updated....
decades old frames are very aging, IMO.
this is great, yes yes yes.
a woman where i work (she is age 62) last week showed up in a new pair of glasses, that was the only change she made and wowza!!! she is in a leadership position, so dresses business professional and on the conservative (not flashy) side, but I was amazed what a difference those glasses made. every time I saw her i kept grinning and saying those are gorgeous.
it's funny because she and our service chief (her boss) both take their glasses on and off frequently, and are in and out of each other's offices constantly, and they kept picking up each other's glasses since the frames were similar. Now that is not a problem, these are definitely ones that he will NOT mistake for his pair
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